A Melody To Remember...
by Mahal Kita
Summary: A girl is walking home from school to summer vacation. She thinks that most of it is a bit easy to be like Snake, and wants to see how it really is. On that afternoon, she gets transeferred to her own unreality. 7th chapter up! Please R&R!^^
1. Summer Dreams...

A Melody to Remember  
  
  
by Reihino  
  
  
Chapter 1:Summer Dreams  
  
  
Disclaimer:Any material related to Metal Gear Solid 2 does not belong to me.  
  
  
Author's note:I'd really like to thank all of those who helped me with this fic... so I dedicate this to them as my thanks.^^;   
  
It was a warm summer afternoon, and Melody had to make her way home from school that had ended for the season. Melody walked farther and farther away from the flowery field, but it seemed almost endless. She kept walking in one direction, but it only opened up to more and more of it. Her feet came to a sudden stop, and she knew that this was the way she always had taken. Weird things have started to happen. Like the fact that her homework and work seemed to be from a higher education, and all her peers were changing rapidly like herself. It may be her mind, but there must have been someone behind this.  
  
She should've been out with a group of people rather than herself. Yet they had all abandoned her, talking about their summers and how they were to spend them. Thinking of it reminded her of something. What would she do? Sit back and play Metal Gear Solid 2 all summer? Sometimes she would think about it so much she would lose herself. How easy the game was. Probably anyone could've fought like the main character did. She laughed out loud, but soon, her happiness faded...  
  
Melody sunk to her knees. Why was this happening? A tiny bee stung her instantly, and she winced in pain. Hopefully, it hadn't been her first encounter with one. Would she ever get home? Questions numbed her head from thought. No one would help out there. She felt something forming underneath her forming. Her hair whiped around her with the gusts of wind, and a maelstorm of bright light. Was she seeing things? It sertainly hadn't happened before. She felt herself being swallowed up, and she didn't know what was really happening. A dizziness filled her head. She closed her eyes miserably wanting it to end. After a few seconds or so, she heard a song in the distance. It seemed to soft, but yet sad. Soon it was fading, and when it ended she blacked out.  
  
***  
  
She opened her eyes, and her backgrounds were very different. It was some kind of prisoner's cell. There were no windows, so therefore it was dark. Also she noticed that it was rocking, so she had some ideas. The gate was locked, of course, but she knew there was another way out. No guard was patrolling, but there was a feeling in her that made her think that there might be. Desperately, she got off her ramshackle bed carefully. The dizziness had left her though. Her eyes scanned the walls carefully, and she could hear some gunfire coming from somewhere. There had seemed to be a loose place in the wall, so she pulled it out only to find more. After about 15 minutes of struggling through it with her hands, she made a gap big enough for her to crawl into. Lowering herself into it, she made her way out of the cell, and into the unknown location.   
  
It had seemed like a few minutes through the suffocating spaces, but Melody had managed to get out of it. She needed time to catch her breath. A guard patroling had flashed the flashlight near her foot, but she crouched and hid in a tight corner. After a while, he went away. She closed her eyes and breathed a slow sigh of relief. Suddenly, she heard a voice unlike any other previous.  
  
"Freeze!"it whispered harsh.  
  
Melody quickly kept a still body and her hands above her head. Her thought that the voice was heard before from somewhere."What are you doing here?"  
  
Before she could yap on about what she knew, which wasn't much, she felt a weird feeling. Something rang. She realized that it was the codec!  
  
"Well?"the man struck at her.   
"I don't really know..."Melody replied lowly and started to stare at the ground.  
"How did you get here?"  
"I came from a vent near here. It lead to a cell. I quickly saw someone coming so I hid near this corner. And now, I find you."  
"What are you exactly doing here?"  
  
She felt him sigh when she didn't say anything.  
  
"I don't exactly remember,"Come to think of it, she didn't. She had forgotten almost everything she had to know. Except for one thing she had to expect was true."Oh, and..."  
"Yes?"  
"Are you Solid Snake?"  
"That's what most call me... Look, I've got things to do, people to see, so you better not slow me down."  
  
Snake had dropped the chat and grabbed her hand suddenly to make a run for it. She didn't know exactly what she was getting into, but she knew it shouldn't be getting any better. 


	2. Runaway(s)

A Melody To Remember  
  
  
  
by Reihino  
  
  
Chapter 2:Runaway(s)  
  
  
Disclaimer:No, I don't own anything from MGS2.... well, duh, why would I have this disclaimer here if I did?~_~;;;   
  
  
  
  
  
After a lot of hiding around a corner, they made their way to some type of dining hall. Cautiously, Snake told her to wait while he secured some semtex wired around. Apparantly, she had the feeling he was looking for someone... or something. When he was done, he somehow waited for her to come on over. Breathing a sigh of relief she slowly got up. Just then, a sort series of sound was heard. She turned around swiftly and her brown eyes caught nothing. Was there somebody there? Melody hid in a dark corner and found Stun Grenades. She thought she felt it again so she looked above her shoulder. Nothing. It couldn't have been a guard. Snake instantly noticed, and watched her. Nothing more. Convincing herself to go, Melody walked over to Snake. A guard walked in, and instandtly saw her presence. He reached for his radio, but was soon hit by someone's socom.. in the head... They both hid quickly again, and Melody saw that the attacker had hid as well. After some time she went in the open. She headed toward the both of them. Melody readied for anything.  
  
"Get up... Both of you,"a woman said."Misty, Snake, I know you're here."  
  
Melody looked at her cautiously and also suprised at the new name. Misty? Who was she really? Since in about 5 seconds she sat there in a deep sort of gaze in her own mind, Snake went first.   
  
"Look, I've got a few questions for you... before I'll trust you,"he started but then switched to nanocommunication."First of all, wh--"  
"I can explain... I...,"she paused with an eerie look on her face." I am supposed to be here as a hostage like most. I escaped and followed you here."  
"Well? Why?"  
"I was sent here as an engineer for a mission... of course, I can't tell you anything about it. They needed me, and I didn't want to go. I had to come here by force, and then had my mission planned, so, they took me in as a hostage... I found my way out, with some explosives I managed to get before I left for this. "  
"Looks like I'm going to have you come along too..."He sighed.  
  
When they got off nanos, he asked her another thing.  
  
"Hey, you never told me your name..."  
"Then I suppose if I told you that Moyra was my name you wouldn't have to ask again."  
"And if I did and it wasn't?"  
"There isn't a chance of that happening,"She reloaded her socom and smiled."Because it is."  
"..."  
  
Melody noticed that he then looked annoyed, but somehow she knew he was ok with it. Once he moved along, Moyra tugged at Melody, making her turn around and look. She seemed to be hiding something.  
  
"I have to give you this..."she said, and pulled out a large sheath with a long blade in it.  
  
She was supprised, but she noticed that she had seemed to want her to have it. So she took it into her own hands, and decided to learn how to use it. Moyra told her some tips about using it. Melody listened, and trained for a bit. She only had a minute or two, and then had to put it away. Moyra had raised her voice, and her face turned a bit red since she disobeyed once.   
  
They all walked along, and Melody was getting really tired. Her feet started to feel like they had heavy weights tied onto them. Though she didn't complain. It could cause... complications. She wanted a little more action, and she got it when they came across a door that lead them to some sort of deck on a ship. The horizon glowed a deep orange. Before another step was taken, a few people were talking. Snake pointed a sort of device in a direction.  
  
"Shut up! I want you to find that girl. She plays an important place with our plans. You shall be punished if you don't find her! Tighten the security. I want her alive."shouted a deep voice on a radio. It seemed loud enough to make someone pull it away from their ear.  
"As for the others held captive?"a feminine voice said.  
"Do what you want. Though I have a request. Keep the young one alone."  
"Anything else?"  
"... Just follow my previous orders now!..."  
"Yes, sir. Over and out."  
  
That was it. But who were those people? Would they involve her? She turned to Moyra who had seemed to be deep in though as well. She looked worried, and her pale skin worried Melody even more. Right then, she wanted to escape. As if Moyra could read her mind, she said something about it.  
  
"What's wrong?"she said, with the codec.  
"Nothing... why'd you ask?"Melody replied through her own worrying.  
"I thought you were..."she stopped for the right word.  
"I was what?"  
".... Oh never mind. It's probably none of my business."  
  
Melody could feel the muscles in her face make a sort of expression, but maybe she was right.  
  
She put most of that behind her when they started heading around the corner after it. Nothing was there. Melody expected some sort of fight. She noticed that somehow Snake wanted to find her badly. He seemed to search around.  
  
"Stop it right there!"the female voice called.  
  
All of them turn around to see a girl with blonde hair and grey eyes point an AK at them. Melody noticed how she concealed herself behind a tall structure. She had a strange look on her face, as if there was something planned if they refused. Moyra pulled out her own M9, and Melody pulled out her only weapon of defense."Drop your armed weapon, or as I should say, weapons, overboard, but do it slowly..."  
  
Snake, being the first target who was armed, had his socom in hand headed over for the water. Yet, in a clever he took it back and threw a Stun Grenade out on her. There was a lot of unclear air, and Melody did not dare to stay and breathe any of it.  
  
"C'mon, let's get out of here!"Snake yelled running.  
  
Melody ran as fast as her legs would take her. She followed the other two in the lead with her eyes gingerly, not wanting them to leave her sight. The previous stranger they saw hadn't regained her composure, and that was always a good advantage. Though it was not until they had come to their stop. It was hard to pant quietly, but she calmed herself down. Then she sheathed the blade she noticed she was holding. Snake was on the codec with someone, and Moyra held still against the wall and looked over at Melody calmly.  
  
"Do you know who that was??"Moyra asked Melody.  
"No... I know very little about people and places and what they did since.... I can't remember much... of how I got here."Melody answered through her breathing.  
"Are you two ok?"Snake asked, coming in the chat.  
"Yes."they both replied suprisingly in unison.   
"We have to move quickly. She might call for backup when she gets up."  
  
They had to continue. Or else there could've been worse. Melody gazed to the sky for awhile, then agreed. Moyra, who just went along, nodded, and went inside without a sound. Was there something wrong with her? Melody walked back into the ship deftly and a little bit confused. 


	3. Little Blonde Girl

A Melody To Remember  
  
  
by Reihino  
  
  
Chapter 3:Little Blonde Girl  
  
  
Disclaimer:No, I do not own Metal Gear Solid... as you all can probably guess by now. I only play the darn game.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everything seemed different. A lot of guards patrolled the areas, and many of them weren't like the ones before. Melody often had to watch their back. Snake managed to get a few without having them to hide. Maybe it wasn't so easy to have to do this. Moyra continued on quietly, and rarely sneezed, coughed or any sort of normal noise. Her movements seemed to be a bit unstuttering as well. Not even her codec was used. Melody tried to examine anything else about her that seemed odd. Once they came upon a vacant area, she decided to ask   
  
"I know I don't have to ask you this but, are you ok?"Melody inquired.  
  
Moyra had seemed to look like she was going to speak or utter a word. Though instead, she nodded her head only.   
  
A beeping sound filled Melody's ears, and she realized she had forgotten she had a codec once again. So, she took the call.  
  
"Something wrong?"Snake asked modestly.  
"Well, nothing really. Just the fact that Moyra hasn't spoken in awhile. She just walks along as if nothing's really happened. So I wouldn't even try to call her if I were you. There may be a way of getting through to her... but, like you, I have to concentrate on the enemy."  
"Why can't I use the nanocomunication?"  
"She won't answer it. She'll probably just walk right on."  
"Oh."  
"Think there's a problem? If there was, I wouldn't know much... and I'd probably tell you before you could notice."  
"..."  
"Oh, and by the way..."  
"Yeah?"   
"Where are we actually headed?"  
"To the bridge... To find out where we're headed... that is all I guess I can tell you."  
  
And that was it. Right then, there was some sort of crash that had come from the next room. An unlocked door seemed to look like it could've lead to it.  
  
"You think there's something in there?"Melody asked, against a wall, pausing Snake's hand on the door.  
"How sure can I be?"Snake said, in a normal tone.  
  
He turned the knob slowly, then searched around. Behind it, the dark room was cold. A few locker doors were on the ground from their lockers. An enemy sentry was laying on the ground. Only, it was a female, her face showed. It was the girl they had seen 45 minutes ago. She opened her eyes, and pushed herself away from them. Though she was too late to arm herself, as they all did before her. She propped herself against the wall.  
  
"You all again?"she said, raising an eyebrow.  
"Damn right."Snake said loudly.  
"What do you want from me?"  
"Answers... For you to tell us them while we ask the questions... Or preferably both."Melody, somehow, ironically blurted out.  
  
She looked at each of them with a sort of furious glare, but said,"Fine." Then she quietly started to use her nanocommunication.  
  
"What are you planning?"Snake asked.  
"That's not very specific. I'm not actually planning what they are."She said. Her hands moved for her ponytail to fix it, but Melody held her blade closer, halting her move.  
"Oh really?"  
"No. I have my plans and objectives that I have to carry out."  
"And they are?"  
"Secret."  
"Secret as in?"  
"I can't tell anyone. And from what you need to know, they have no intention of harming you... or your allies."  
"Are you still working with the soldiers here?"  
"... I have to make it look that way, but it's not like that."  
"What did you do here?"  
"I tried to find an easier way to open the lockers. They were locked, and I had to look through everyone of them for something."  
"Something?"  
"My real gear."   
"Is there anything else I can know?"  
"Not really... maybe..."  
"And that would be?"  
"I have to go to the girl's room to change my clothes."She held up a small box and opened it a little to let them see some clothes.  
"And finally... Who are you?"  
  
She breathed a sigh, as if she knew this was coming, and looked up at him closely.  
  
"I don't really work for any organization. I work usually at computers. I have that AK from the sentries, but I gave it away earlier. I'm on my break, so I can walk around. No one really seemed to have notice, but I'm going to betray them. I had to start a hold up with you because I was actually being watched by them. Thanks to you, I had to be punished for actually being too easy on you. I do follow some of their orders, but I wonder if you can handle the truth. My name is... Ocarina Lioness. You could call me Lioness for short..."  
  
"...Get up."Snake said and muttred mutely," I'll need you later."   
  
She smiled, and went on following them after Snake was on the codec for some other use. Who was he calling exactly? Someone assigned to kill her? Melody tried to shake her head and was in a lost state again, then looked at Moyra cautiously. She needed to get a word out of her soon, or all of them would have to worry. She did look a little different. Mad, sad, happy, low, sleepy, seasick,-she couldn't tell her experessionless face. So, Snake and Lioness were leading the front while Melody and Moyra silently took the back. 


	4. The Silence is Broken

A Melody To Remember  
  
  
by Reihino  
  
  
Chapter 4:The Silence Is Broken  
  
  
Disclaimer:I truly disclaim any Metal Gear Solid... stuff...  
  
  
Author's note:Oh, and this is kinda a short chap... just so you know...  
  
  
  
  
They found their way to the girl's room, partly because Ocarina Lioness lead them. She seemed to know where she was going. Snake suddenly stopped in front of the door. He looked a bit weirder than usual.  
  
"What is it?"Melody asked him quickly on the codec.  
"Go on without me."Snake answered, turning away.  
"What?"  
"I said go."  
  
Shrugging, she went inside. Lioness was in a stall and suprisingly everything was quiet.  
  
"Moyra what's wrong?"Melody asked expecting only a gaze from her.  
"Nothing is. I'm just trying to keep quiet."she said.  
Moyra got to the mirror and looked at herself. She looked at the glass blankly."I've just worried you, haven't I?"  
"Maybe you could say that."Melody stared at the ceiling.  
"Oh, well...,"Moyra laid her eyes on the floor."I really haven't seen... Oh, heck, never mind."  
"What?... Who?"  
"Nothing you have to worry about..."She wanted to say more, but Melody held her questions back."Where did Snake go?"  
"Let's just say he's out there."Melody pointed to the door.  
  
She pushed herself against a wall and forced a smile at Melody. At least Moyra said a word, or a few. Then she looked glanced at the mirror, but looked quickly at herself again. She felt diferent. Sometimes, she would see fragments of how she got here. And none of them would make any sense. Everything was changed somehow. At that point, she felt like someonoe else.  
  
Ocarina Lioness rushed out of the stall in some khakis and a blue shirt. Yet, she had some full pockets and a socom at her side. She had some clothing around her arms and gloves. Her golden hair embraced her shoulders as she moved to the sink to fix it again. Afterwards, she sighed in relief and walked out the door. The other two followed transiently. Once they got out, Snake, as expected, was there.   
  
"Done already?"Snake asked, examining Lioness from head to toe.  
  
She was on the verge of saying something, but she just turned and walked away. Snake chuckled a bit, and tagged along. After a confused glance at each other, Moyra and Melody walked behind.  
  
Afterwards, they headed for the bridge. Moyra was a bit more open with herself now, and she smiled more than she could talk. They reached the bridge after some time. It seemed to be headed to no where. And no one was there. Though, whoever was there, wasn't alive. Lioness made some arrangements on the control panel. Somehow, a sentry saw them. Hopefully, Snake and Ocarina had did whatever they had needed to. They all ran into some lockers. Snake had to hide in a box. As predicted, they just passed it by. Melody's heart raced through her body.  
  
"Are you going to be ok?"asked Lioness after she saw her out a hand to her head.  
"Yes,"Melody said with a headache."I'll be fine."  
"You sure? We're almost done here anyway."  
"'We're'?"  
"C'mon. Let's go. They might take more caution since they saw us onboard."  
  
Melody staggered to her feet and went along as planned. When was it going to be over exactly? She wanted to know. 


	5. Battle

A Melody to Remember  
  
  
by Reihino  
  
  
Chapter 5:Battle  
  
  
Disclaimer:I don't own Metal Gear, ok?  
  
  
  
They came across a door that lead them outside again. Only this time, raindrops pelted on the ground. What was she doing here? She had to walk around. Wherever they seemed to go, she had to follow. When she asked why they were going this way, Moyra explained that there was another way to get to the hostages instead of inside where it was mostly locked. They had to hang on the edge of the ship, and it seemed quite hard for Melody. They finally came upon the place they were looking for. Though, all the cells were dark. And the bodies were dead.  
  
"I hope you like it..."a booming voice said.  
  
Everyone stayed around and searched the room, with their eyes rather than anything else. As a few shadows shone on the walls, there seemed to be more than one. Footsteps grew close, coming to a nearing end."I see that you're not satisfied enough..."  
  
A girl came out from a corner behind them. Her blue eyes seemed to glint with a sort of fire. They met Snake's, and she smiled. She carried a long blade, similiar to Melody's. Not to mention, she had some gloves that looked like she had some martial arts skill. Her black hair covered most of her unblemished face. She seemed to look nice as she gave them a smile, but something lay about her uncannily. She swiftly took her blade in her hands.  
  
"Why?"Moyra asked.  
"The demands were... not met..."she held her blade firmly in her grasp, tightening.  
"Who are you working with?"asked Lioness.  
"Why should I if you already know?"she paused for a moment."I am no other than Noble Angel. I'd like to see these hostages suffer anyway. Though there is something that stands in my way, on my way to completing my objectives..."  
"Oh really?"Snake said, dryly.  
"You."Angel pointed her blade to his face, indicating something.  
  
After a second, she leapt high into the air and doged everything on her way down. She used her blade as a shield from the bullets they shot at her. Melody knew that she'd have to do something other than stand without a gun. With that thought, she quickly took out some grenades Lioness had given her earlier. She instructed to use them for an emergency. That time was now. Melody got a few out, and dropped them at Noble Angel. She instantly got some damage from it. Snake quickly took the time to aim for her head.  
  
"I wouldn't try to pull that trigger... if I were you... at least."Angel said, creeping away."Either way, you will die. By letting me live or by me pulling the deonator for the bombs I have implanted in this ship!"  
  
She pulled out a tiny little device.  
  
"Damn it!"Melody felt herself whisper.  
"But I don't think I'll need to do that..."she looked over a Melody."I need to see how you battle!"  
  
Melody felt a sudden urge of anger. Would she have she have to risk her life? Quickly, she picked up her sword at pointed it at Angel's face.  
  
"Bring it on!" Her voice echoed through the darkness of the rooms and cells.   
  
Noble Angel quickly got up, and threw the device away. Her swift hand held up her sword, and they faced each other. An evil grin crept up on her face. She then swung her blade closely at her, Melody somehow moved the other way in time. A few more hits and then one that hit her. Though it seemed to be the blunt side since she switched continuously. When she tried to hit, the mysterious woman blocked all of it. The pain shook throughout Melody's body, and she would occassionally fall. Snake, Lioness, and Moyra would make distractions at that moment. The clashing of blades, resounding in a repeatitive pattern. While she fought, bullets recoiled from her blade. Surely, someone would give out after a few counts. Though Melody would stagger to her feet and keep on if she had fallen. After 30 minutes, Melody spinned with the blade and it hit her enemy in the right arm. Dark blood stained her deeply tanned skin. She fell back against a wall, handling her situation and trying to heal herself.   
  
"This is not the end of me..."She spoke. Right then and there, she pulled out another copy of the device with her left hand."But maybe the end of you..."  
  
Quickly, she got up to her feet and ran away before anyone got a good aim of her.   
  
"We've got to get out of here! I have a ride that will get us out of here."Snake seemed to tell everyone on the codec.  
"Know the time we have left?"Lioness asked.  
"About 600 seconds according to my partner... No time to waste, let's go!"  
  
They all ran, and fast too. Once they got out of there, a Kasatka was hovering above them. A ladder flew out of the sidedoor. Hastily, they got in. Melody was the last to climb it. A large blast erupted from underneath them. When she got on, her leg throbbed in pain. Though there was no trace of bleeding. Perhaps it were a bruise. She took off her scabbard, and she winced at the sight of all the blood. Instantly, she grabbed a cloth to clean the morbid mess. No one really said anything. Lioness and Moyra just stared at their pilot silently. After a minute, he told them his name. Otacon. Why was it so familiar? She sighed, and looked out on the waters. Somewhere in those ruins, was where she had fought. She can't believe she had forgotten where she honed her skills. It seemed so, distant to her. Which made her curious of what to do next... or what may come her way. 


	6. Kidnapped

A Melody To Remember  
  
  
Disclaimer:I do not own Metal Gear Solid or anything like that.  
  
  
  
  
The helicopter landed on the helipad of a large building on land near a forested area. The building seemed like it was starting to deteriorate, but it still held up. The group made their way in, and it seemed to be like some sort of warehouse. Could something be here? Apparently, she was nearly wasting time standing in one place thinking.  
  
"What are you waiting for?"asked Lioness, voice almost dripping with venomous sarcasm.  
"N-nothing..."Melody sputtered, quickly following them down the flight of stairs on the side of the building.  
  
After a silent walk down the stairs, she was exhausted. Her feet hurt, and again she shut up about it. Though the inside of the place was dimly lit, and the darkness seemed to be calling her. It devoured her whole. Suddenly the lights flashed brighter, making her flinch a little.  
  
"Lost?"someone said in an English accent.  
  
Turning around, there was no one. A few crates were moved, and were throw out of the way, revealing was a man. He was a few inches off 6 feet and some "decent" clothes. He picked up his gun and pointed it to them."I could help you find your way to death." He laughed in a malevolent sort of way.  
  
Before they could say some remark or get their weapons of choice, another spoke.  
  
"You shouldn't do that either..."it said.  
  
This time, it was a taller man, holding a few explosives. His eyes seemed to glow a brilliant brown, and he was armored from his face to his feet.  
  
"What do you want?"Otacon spoke aloud though he now pointed the gun at him.  
"Him."They chimed in unity, looking at Snake.  
"And because?"Melody said, somehow setting herself in front of him, almost defiantly from within herself.   
  
A maiden's footsteps could be heard. In a very peculiar type of way, they soon grew slower. Then in the darkest corner of it all, a pair of eyes spied them all. Her slender silhouette reminded Melody of something... something from her past... her true past.  
"Who are you!?"The three girls shouted.  
"Like your shadow, I follow your movements..."she spoke again, only deeper. The lady stepped out."Waiting for the right moment to strike..."  
  
The lady stepped out suddenly, not trying to make a good entrance.   
  
Everyone but her held in their shock. If the moment was anymore speechless than it was then, Melody would've let out a piercing shriek. Though at that moment, her throat felt muted and her body fell into a dark paralysis. She tried to take her eyes off what she was seeing. Though she couldn't, and a weird feeling filled her. The image was of the girl... who had the same impression as her older sister. The hair, creamy skin, the small frame,-she had seen her before.   
  
In an instant, Melody couldn't hold her ownself up. What happened just now made her stop breathing almost. Her eyes blurring, then closing, then her feeling herself descend to the ground.   
  
***  
  
Opening her eyes, she found herself lying on the ground of a cell. Not everything was clear, but still the radiance of color seemed to focus a bit. She looked straight ahead and saw a little girl about the age of 5 or so. What scared her again, was the fact that the girl was a smaller version of her. Then a girl slightly older than the "mini-Melody" walked near. Then Melody saw her face. The full lips, the hair in a bun, the strange blue and green eyes... it was the one she saw before her fainting. She whispered something, then walked away. The youth faded, and in a second things settled in.   
  
She was in the warehouse place. The sunlight seeped in through the cracks of the old building. From across the room, Otacon, Lioness, and Moyra stared at her. No sign of Snake though, or the group of the perilous three. Sheilding her embarassment, she tried to get off the ground where she seemed to be sitting.   
"Are you ok?"asked Lioness, who gave Melody a hand when she staggered uncontrollably."You seemed to have passed out... and missed out on everything."Moyra giggled a bit, but saw Otacon's serious look, which ceased her laughter.  
  
Melody, a bit stunned to hear it, started to use the nanocommunication.  
  
"Ok, what do you want to know? And only one question at a time."Otacon put calmly.  
"Well... first of all... what the hell happened?"Melody said, fighting down the raising in her voice.  
"Revelation, those three... or four, took Snake. We would've had a better chance if you were awake."he answered, as if it was no big deal.  
"Four?"  
"I have a feeling that... remember that girl you fought on that ship?"  
"How can I forget?"  
"I think she's.... not quite deceased yet."  
"Uh, can you please tell me about the other two?"  
"The first one we encountered was Sol... a telekinetic prodigy working for Revelation... Normally I think that he's quite a tough He is also said to have a relationship with Noble Angel... But I'm not even sure or interested in that...."  
"The other?"  
"A destructive and endurable explosives specialist... That's all I can say at least."  
"So... I'll have to prepare myself for these two...."  
"Better yet, we."Lioness added, out of the blue.  
"But... that Shadow girl.... she seemed a bit... familiar to me. I've known her before from my forgotten past... I remember having an older sister, just like her, with the voice, the looks... but she's... no longer living."  
"How so? Can you two be........?"Otacon choked on the word.  
"Be what?"  
"You know....... related?"  
"In a way maybe... I... I also feel that,"she paused to look at the ground."I need to find her again."  
"I see..."  
"Their demands?"  
"They couldn't make it clear. They just wanted Snake. Shadow Snake, the girl you saw before your fainting spell, asked for him. Besides, we had no choice. You could've sliced her head off... but I don't think that will happen."  
"Did they say what for?"  
"Does he have to repeat himself, Misty??"Moyra intruded, protecting Otacon's behalf.  
"..."Melody shut up right away.  
"Well, anything else?"  
"Where to next?"  
"We have some choices... either wait awhile, or go get him now. They took our transportation, so we're going to have to walk our way to where they took him-"  
"Which is?"  
"I think they took him to... an underground area. I believe that it is covered by a steep hill or so, and is a bit like a cave."  
"Have we decided?"  
"No. I haven't gotten your two cents."  
"Well...,"Melody thought for a long moment. She was a bit eager to get back at Shadow's group, and find out a lot. Though then again, it could get out of hand."Let's go?"  
"Ok... we might as well... go."he concluded, ending the transmission.  
  
Everyone headed for the forseted area.  
  
"So we're going to have to make our way through on foot..."Lioness said, turning her head down to look at her timid feet.  
"I'm sure we can get there soon."Otacon said, trying to sound optimistic yet not so promising.  
  
Lioness sighed, which to the rest of them sounded like a swoon moment, and followed his lead. 


	7. A traitor's fate...

A Melody To Remember  
  
Disclaimer:I do not own any material associated with to Metal Gear Solid. So basically, I just write something called "fanficiton".  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Revelation was elsewhere plotting more plans. Daemon was doing something with his explosives, setting up an emergency system, "just in case". Shadow and Sol sat in a cold room together, doing nothing but waiting. Snake was in a cell, unconscious and still from the place they took him. Fighting his shivering, Sol needed to talk about something.  
  
"They'll never find us here..."Shadow spoke aloud, as if she could read his worry. She, unlike him, seemed to find the dim location they were in helping her.  
"May I ask something, ma'am?"Sol asked, in his English accent that annoyed Revelation at times such as now.  
"How many times do I have to-...,"she stopped abruptly in the middle of her snapping, seeing his eager green eyes. She couldn't resist to not care about what he had wanted to know."What is it?"  
"What if they do?"he asked, growing more weak to say it through clearly.  
"You are such a fool to ask such a waste of air, you know that?... That is complete nonsense... We are different than that of other organizations that have failed."Shadow twirled her long, soft but skilled fingers in a lock of her dark hair, which had red streaks. They shined luminously weak in the beams of tiny light that came through."At least have 'him'..."  
"You're right, my dear."  
"I must be..." Her voice cooed coolly, avoiding to scold him for what he called her. She turned away and looked into the blood-stained wall, Sol took a slow step back.  
  
There was a long pause, deep between the two of them.  
  
"I sense them though."  
"Do you possibly think it matters?"  
"No... Not really."  
  
Shadow shook her head in silent annoyance, as she walked farther away from him with a sigh.   
  
"Another thing I need to know..."he spoke loudly to get her attention, only to bother her.  
"Yes?" Her tone changed to a malicious spite to his ears.  
"Where is... Noble Angel?"  
"Angel is..." She stopped as her glossed vermillion lips curled into a vindictive fasion."... wandering... out there. I don't have to worry about her. She'll be fine in the end. Why do you wonder about her so much? You know she's strong enough to survive that incident! Why ask such a stupid question?"  
"Well-"  
"Do not deny it!"was what arose from her furious emotion before Sol could finish his sentence."Because you're only lying to yourself."  
"Alright, milady."Sol sounded a bit shaken. Though what he really was thinking of was getting back at her. Fighting back his tears of anger, he looked away. Why was he listening to her? He had a mind of his own... indeed a powerful one. One he could control, not her. He only asked because he cared for the person he knew better as Tenshi Kizoku. Burning inside with malicious and violent wrath, he tried hard not to use his telekinisis for harm to Shadow. He would save it for another time.   
  
Shadow got up from her chair quickly, so her voice wouldn't have to do so much talking and yelling. She wasn't afriad of him. Her skills mastered his "special talent". There were better things to do. Actions did seem to speak louder than words to her. Talking didn't really do anything. It was hard to ignore his speech. With that she stomped forward to a hall with bold tenebrosity that seemed to feel colder now. Before she opened the door, she added nothing to what she wanted to say. When the emotional lump came to her throat, her hand reached the knob and she slammed the door at full volume. Not too hard or she could've broken it. Only silence and Sol's sigh or relief hung in air.   
  
A jot mad with himself, he headed into the other room. But before he left, he psyched his telekinetic abilities. Using his mind, he slammed the chair Shadow was on a minute ago and crashed it into the wall. It broke into a pile of wood. Vengence was what he wanted to give to her rather than his loyalty. She did look like she was in the mood of betrayal.   
  
"I'm going to show her what I really am about..."He said to himself, mentally.   
  
His emerald pair of irises burned intensely in the darkness with a mix of fear and determination. He opened the door as he could hear her devilish cackle in the other room.  
  
***~~~***  
  
"Will you please stop slowing us down?"Otacon asked, a tad whiney.  
  
It was indeed the fifth time Melody was slowing down the group. They had been out here for an hour. Time was either too fast or too slow for her. Sighing, she walke on.  
  
"Is there something wrong with you?"he asked harsh.  
"No, not at all..."Melody answered, trying to overcome his.  
"Look, let's just take the rest of the way quietly, please?"Moyra said, putting a hand to her temples as she looked at the remaining area on a map."Before we get to the hill, or whatever, we must cross a river... which is about 5 miles away." She used her matter-of-factly tone.  
  
The group started their walking again, but then there was a feeling of doubt in Melody. A twig snapped, and only she seemed to hear it. She immediately got into some sort of battle position.  
  
The rest of them went on ahead, and she sliced through air to get their attention. When she saw 3 pairs of eyes looking at her, her feet moved above a twig as if she were to step on it. Then her fingers pointed around.  
  
"Wha?"Lioness said, confused.  
"Don't speak right now...... just listen...."Melody closed her eyes and breathed out calmly once she finished.   
  
At once something leapt at her from behind, and she tried to get a good look of it. Instead of what she thought of doing, she tried something else. Since Lioness and Moyra kept their cool, why not her? Sheconcentrated on her own racing heartbeat. After a few beats worth counting, her katana cut forward, and she could've sworn it striked their unknown foe.   
  
It turns out that it was a girl, dressed in a white blouse, with a blue skirt. Her left forearm was stained with thick a red fluid. Something was strange about her. Her left eye was bright blue while her right was a rich brown. Dark strands of brown hair came from her head. She pushed herself away from Melody, but was soon cornered by everyone... even Otacon.  
  
"I suppose..."she plumped down to her knees."You want to know who I am."  
"Yes, that and other things."Moyra neared in closer, but Melody held out a firm hand to stop her.  
"Well, I could be of use on your plan."  
"What of it?"Otacon asked.  
"You need to find Solid Snake... I know Revelation well, and you are in the right direction. I just thought I'd help you, since I'm one of the... banned members of Revelation."  
"How can you prove it?"  
  
She smiled, plainly, as if this were only a game. Her hand moved to the back of her neck. A deep red scar lay across her skin.  
  
"Did....-"  
"Did Shadow do this to me? No... that wasn't a mark from her spear... it's from Noble Angel's scar. She... I was called a traitor when she told on what I had planned to do to Shadow. Shadow was responsible for my parent's deaths. I'd like to get back at her again... So since I'm no longer one of her's, I have a chance. I followed your trail, and found out what you did. With that I'd like to help..."  
  
There seemed to be no emotion in her sullen eyes except for something that look higher than ambition. Her voice was pleading, and she looked anxious to hear Melody's reply.  
  
"Alright....-"Melody said, turning to the path that seemed brighter ahead from the loss of shade."But if you do try anything funny..."  
"Don't worry. I will not."  
"Who are you anyway???"  
"I do not have a name. I have left in the midst of the past."  
"Then.... make one up yourself."  
"... Fine. Call me Unknown."  
"What?"  
"You said to make up one,"she stopped to look away."and I did."  
  
As soon as she finished healing with a ration, they went back to their planned route.  
  
***  
  
Shortly after that, they had reached the river. It wasn't too deep, but the idea of getting wet up to her shoulders wasn't all too exciting.  
  
Moyra went in without having to mind, even though she had to pull Otacon in and out of it. Lioness may have yelped at the cold water a bit, but that was it. Melody walked across the river slowly, taking her time to let the cool water rush at her. Unknown jumped over the water skillfully and landed on stumbling over on the dirt.  
  
"Are you alright?"Melody asked, seeing a bruise on Unknown's left shin."That really looked daring."  
  
Unknown pushed Melody aside as if she were a frail infant in the way. She didn't turn her head to look while she made her reply.  
  
"I feel not bad."  
  
There was only a remainder left of the way, and it was going to take another half an hour. They would arrive some time after noon.  
  
***~~~***  
  
Sol pushed his back against a wall outside of their strong fort. It wasn't going to take long before he could have his revenge. Though it might tear him apart from Noble Angel if she found out that their leader was killed... much increasingly, if she knew it was him. He knew he had to do it now or she would see it unexpectedly, walking into his plans. He made his way to Shadow's chambers.  
  
***  
  
Once he was there, one of the attendants stood outside the large wooden doors. He looked pale when he saw him, and quickly let him in.  
  
The room was dark and the glass windows were covered by thick red curtains. There were no paintings on the walls, the floors were more chilly than usual. His eyes scanned for Shadow's shadow, but he only seemed to sense her with his "sixth sense".   
  
For a few seconds, he sensed more than one spot in the room. Shadow did like the darkness and intentionally isolated herself from them at times. Maybe this was one of them.  
  
Sol could've felt her in front of him but her echoing voice came from behind.  
  
"I knew you'd be here,"stated Shadow suddenly."... and to think that you are on my side with your highly developed intellect."  
"You know what I'm here for?"said Sol as he turned around to get a good glimpse of his dupe.  
"I thought you'd never known what I knew," Her cooing voice struck again quicker than him."I've been knowing you for a long, long time..."  
"Maybe our time is limited."Sol clenched his fist and hid it from her.  
"Yes, yes, perhaps..."  
"So... you did know..." His voice was spoken like a decrescendo.  
"Of course I did,"She sent him an impetuous red glare from her eyes."I've treated you the best I could for these years,"She paused to unsheath her concealed spear and put it to his face."Though I'm sick of it."  
"I came here to kill you!"  
  
He closed his eyes and concentrated on her spear. Amazingly, it hardly moved. Shadow grew near unto him. Her ruby dangling earings and heart-shaped pendant glowed. She grinned deeply.  
  
"That is where you are wrong...... and, if you ever did come here to try to..... actually take me down seriously,"Relentlessly, she drew the weapon forward at his chest. Blood covered him the second he was pierced by the tip. He couldn't have moved before because of his fear petrifying him, holding him down, never letting him go... until now."You, have failed your success!"   
  
On the cold floor Sol lay, trying to ease the pain in his wound. Nothing could help him out of his suffering. He knew he wasn't going to live. Shadow wanted to get him more, make his condition worse, but she heard someone coming. Sol wanted to shout at her. Shadow looked at him and gave him an unemotional glance, thinking quick. Quickly, she moved herself behind a large pillar that was good enough for her to fit in. When the shadowed frame of the visitor was on the floor, Shadow instantly knew who it was.  
  
"Shadow??? Shadow??? This is important!"Noble Angel cried a bit desperately."Come out now!"  
  
Snice it could't wait, she switched on the lights of the room, and Shadow could hear her unbelieveable gasp. Keeping herself lying in hidden wait, she looked around the corner to see her. I know something that's more important, she thought with irony.  
  
Angel stood perfectly still above him. He coughed up some blood, away from her, and gasped for his remaining breaths of air to speak his last words. There must have been something he wanted from her. She fougth her emotion. There would be no healing.  
  
The two of them, deep in thought, forgetting what they wanted to say. It was a painful period of quietness.  
  
Sol said something... his words were distantly inaudible for their spy to hear. Angel nodded, as if agreeing to what he may have asked her. Then she crouched over, looking at him for a long time, not caring about anything else. Shadow squinted her eyes to see what she had possessed in her hand. It appeared, a few seconds later, that she held a silver chain with a crescent moon charm.  
  
Shadow made her way to the doors, not making a sound with her feet. What she had done hadn't affected her. She headed out, but quickly came back as if it were nothing.  
  
"Who did this??"asked Shadow.   
  
Angel closed her eyes, then opened them again. laid the flaccid body and got to her feet. She looked her comrade in the eye with her own pair."You are hiding something master."  
  
"I did what I could to try to get them. I couldn't help him liv-"  
"You couldn't? You couldn't?!!! Is that all?! You can't save him?! He-"  
"He's dead."Shadow seemed to make her tone of voice sound audacious as she raised her right hand high to stop Angel. The fact was true. He wasn't going to reincarcinate himself as someone else.  
"Damn it..."Angel stayed quiet like Shadow for a long moment."... What do you know of it?"  
"What I know? I think I have a clue of someone who may be linked to his death's cause."  
"How can you be so sure?" Angel hadn't thought about her sacrificed commitment at the time.  
"It was either that traitor... of ours... or the cardboard box person who got away luckily."   
"I must find them..."  
  
Shadow grinned as she turned for the door. She could use her,-as useless bait.  
  
"Unknown... she betrayed us remember? She might've meant to kill me... but... unfortuneately decided against that matter. She's sill alive, by the way. Sol was too..,"Shadow searched for something that would be reasonable."... Unskilled at the time."  
  
Every word of that sentence made Angel laugh maliciously upon her facade. Yet she wanted to wring her hands around Shadow's neck and beat her hard for the official truth. Unknown was dead, Angel witnessed the mental blast of power that gripped the girl's spirit from Sol. Blowing the bangs out her eyes, she saw the blood on the spear. Would someone actually come back for revenge? How could Shadow, a lonely stoic, be trusted to mislead her own? Angel's heels clicked as she left for the search.  
  
Yet Shadow had forgotten to ask about the charm. What was it for? Never mind that, she thought. There's more better things to tend to right now. 


End file.
